Accenting device for automatic players for instruments.



PATENTED JAN. 14, 1905 F. W DRAPER. AGOBNTING DEVICE FOR AUTQMATIQ PLAYERS FOR INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.1907.

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l bymm No. 876.442. I PATENTED JAN. 14,1908. P. w. DRAPBR. AGOENTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYERS FOR INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION PI LED JU LY 18.1907.

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876,442. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908-.

F. W. DRAPER. AOGE'NTING DEVICE FORAUTOMATIG PLAYERS FOR INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onnrca FRANCIS W. DRAPER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO STAR-Pt IIANO COMPANY, OF

RICHMOND, INDIANA. A CORPORATION OF INDIALIA.

AGCENTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC ILAYERS FOR INSTRTJ'MIIN'IS.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

1907- Serial 110.684.322.

Application filed July 18 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fsiixcis W. DRAPER, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of W'ayne and St ate of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Accenting Devices for Automatic Players for Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an GIIICIEIIt means which, operated in connection with a suitable perforated music sheet, will be capable of emphasizing particularly selected notes in order to produce solo efiects.

The accompanying drawings illustrate only my improved apparatus, the actual note-producing mechanisms being entirely omitted for the reason that the particular style of the primary, secondary and power- 'pneumatics .(any, or all) is immaterial to the operation of my device, the structure being applicable to many types of mechanisms "now common for operation directly upon the soundeproducing device.

horizontal and vertical section, of my improved solo bOX,'fL1ll size; Fig. 2, a sectional detail at rightangles to the vertical section of the same parts in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a dia-' grammatic view showing the application of m improved solo box in an ordinary di 4 vi ed tracker board instrument, and Fig. 4, a sectional detail of the pressure governor.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a main casing divided centrally by a partition 1.1 into a main suction chamber 12 and a regulated suction chamber 13. The structure illustrated is especially designed for a suction system and, therefore, leading into chamber 13 are passages 14 which communicate with the wind chest of the operating pneumatics,

and leading from chamber 12 is a passage 15 which leads to the ordinary bellows or other mechanism for producing the difference in pressure to accomplish the operation of the neumatics. Formed through partition'll s a passage 16 which forms a direct communication between chambers 12 and 13 and, when open, a direct and ungoverned communication between the wind chest and the bellows. Inorder to close'passage 16 I provide a valve 17, which valve is normally held away from its seat, so as to loave passage 16 open, by a light spring 18 which'bears Figure "1 is a perspective detail, in both button 22.

adapted to engage the valve.

footing the pneumatic within chamber 12.

space with chamber 12.

opening 32 thereby.

with chamber 12,

against the stem 17 of the valve. to close. this valve manually I provide a lever 19 carried by a rock shaft 20 connected by a suitable system of levers 21 with a push Patented Jan. 14%, 1%08.

In order In order to close valve 17 automatically from the tracker board I provide a power pneumatic '25 having a spring finger 26 I prefer to so communicates with chamber 18. to board 50 over passage 52 is a valve box 5 1 having an opening in one side, so that there may be communication between passages 52 and through op" arrange finger that it can act upon valve 17 in one direction only, so that said valve \Y may be closed by the lever 19 without at The pneumatic 25 communicates, through a passage 27, with a valve chaml'ier 28 which is formed The valve chamber 28 comprises a top board 29 carrying a valve seat having a central opening 31), and a bottom board 31 having an opening The opening 30 33 which,

through tube 34, is in constant and free communication with the atmosphere. 3'2, however, communicates through space Mounted in the valve chamber 28 is an ordinary two-faced valve 36, one face adapted to seat over openin 30 3 m '3 l assag and the other face adapted to seat over the thickness of valve 36 being such, as is common, that the passages 32 and 30 may be alternately opened and (desert Valve 36 carries the usual stem 37 having a head 38 which head lies upon the diaphragm 39 of an ordinary poucl'i-pneumatic, the chamber 40 of which conununicates through tube 11, with the atinos through the intermediation of the board, as will be hereinafter maplained. Chamber 40 also communicates, through a small bleeding passage 42, with chamber 12.

One side of chambers 12 and 13. is formed by a removable board 50 which forms the base of the pressure regulator now to be described, said board being held in position by any suitable means, as shown, a suitable packing 51 (see Fig. 2) being provided to insure a suitable air-tight joint. Formed through board 50 is a passage 52 which communicates and a passage 53 which Secured will}; 55 and and valve 55 in order that tllepneumaticmay be as sensitive as possible and have a cubic content as small a's-possible and ,in order to facilitate ins ection of valve 56. this opening 59 is closed by a removable board 60, said board. being removably held in position byany suitable means.

In order to apply this apparatus to 'a divided tracker board instrument, and designating the solo a paratus by the letter it will be seen, l iy referring 'to Fig. 3, that I use two of the solo devices S, one'having its passages. l4-connected to the wind chest'of the bass while the other has its pass sages 14 connected to the wind chest of the treble The passages '41 of the bass and treble solodevices are connected to ports 71 and 7 1 respectively, in the tracker board 72. The passages 34 are brought together into a passage 73 which is closed by a slide valve-7 4 normally held in closing position by a spring '75, the arrangement beingsuch that atmospheric pressure cannot pass into chambers 33 until valve 74 is depressed by the operator.

In operation: A music sheet of the ordi nary kind, having perforations mating with the usual tracker board openings 7 2, is also provided with soloperforations adapted to register with the tracker board openings 71 and 71'. Whenever the tracker boa-rd opening 71 or 71. is closed,- the pressure within chamber 40 of the secondary or pouch pneumatic is reduced, by'reason of the communication through bleed-hole 42'with chamber.

12, and consequently pneumatic 25 is distended (if valve 74 is depressed so as to open passages 7 334) so that valve 17 is held over passage 16, and the only communication between the wind chest and the bellows is through chambers 13 of the solo devices,

thence through the pressure regulator R, a. e. passages '53, 55 and 52, tochamber 12, and thence through passages 15 to the bellows.-

Consequently, suction in chamber 12 causes a partial collapse of the regulator pneumatic R until the vacuum produced within chamber 13, and the wind chests, reaches an amount determinable by the strength of spring 58, no matter how hard the bellows,

connecting with passage 15, may be worked, this action being an ordinary well known action and resulting ma uniform pressure .within the wind chest considerably less in actuating efiect than lies within the power of the bellows. As a consequence, the powerpneumatics for the piano action (not shown) will be actuated with a uniform'and minimum force so as to reduce sounds of minimum intensity. W enever the tracker board opening 71 or 71 is uncovered, however, atmospheric pressure rushes into chamber 40 of the pouch-pneumatic, or primary pneumatic, and causes said pneumatic to distend so as to lift-valve 36 to cover 0 ening 30 and uncover opening 32, thus establishing communication between chamber 12 and the interior of pneumatic 25, through passage: -27, whereuponsald pneumatlc 1s collapsed so as to permit spring 18 to drive valve 17 away from opening 16, thus establishing direct communication between chamber 13 and chamber 12, whereupon'the full force of the bellows may act upon the power pneumatics connected with the said chamber 13, thus causing a maximum actuation of the particular sound-producing pneumatics which may at that moment be designated by the particular portion ,of the perforated music sheet 'then passing over the tracker board. As soon as opening 71 or 71 is closed, by the passage of the music sheet, the pressure within chamber 40 is diminished through bleed-hole 42 and valve 36 returns to normal position so that pneumatic 25 will be again distended byan in-rush of atmospheric pres sure through iassages .34, 30 and 27, and valve 17 will e thrown over opening '16,

whereupon succeeding portions of the music sheet will cause an actuation of the soundproducing devices through the regulators R. If the operator desires to suppress the solo efl'ects in either bass or treble, he has nierelv ing and closing of port '71-'01 71 will have no :efi'ect UPODIPHGUHIQUCS 25 and consequently no effect upon-valves 17 because no communication with atmospheric pressure can be had for chambers 33,

The apparatus is'also under the control of the operator, manually, by means of the two buttons 22 which may be manipulated in order to manually close the valves 17 and, by skilful manipulation, may produce the same results accomplishahlc automatically by the tracker board connection.

I claim as Inyinven'tion:

1. A solo device for automatic players comprising a pair of main chambers with a passage forming a direct communication between said chambers, a valve adapted to close said passage, :1 pressure regulator also forming a communication between the two svaaas chambers, and a valve-operating pneumatic action mounted in one of said chambers to operate said valve, said valve-operating pneumatic action comprising a power-pneumatic engaging the valve, a main valve chamber communicating with said power pneumatic and communicating on one side with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamber within which the structure is mounted, a main-valve mounted within said main-valve chamber and adapted to automatically control said connnun rations, a primary-pneumatic for operating said mainvalve, a tracker board, and a communication between said tracker board and said primarypneumatlc.

2. A solo device for automatic players comprisinga pair of main chambers with a passage forming a direct connnunication between said chambers, a valve adapted to closesaid passage, :1 pressure regulator also forming a connnunication between the two chambers, and valve-operating pneumatic train mounted in one of said chambers to operate said valve, said valve-operating pneumatic train comprising a power-pneumatic engaglng the valve, a mam valve chamber con'nnumcatmg with said powerpncumatic and communicating on one side,

with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamber within which the structure is mounted, a main-valve mounted within said main valve chamber and adapted to automatically control said. comnnmications, a primary-pneumatic for operating said mainvalve, a tracker board, a communication between said tracker board and said primarypneumatic, and means for controlling admission to the atmospheric side of the main valve chamber.

3. A solo device for automatic players of main chambers with a passage forming a direct communication between said chambers, a valve adapted to close said passage, a pressure regulator also forming a communication between the two chambers, and a valve-operating pneumatic train mounted in one of said chambers to operate said valve, said valve-operating pneumatic train comprising a power-pneumatic engaging the valve, a main valvechamber communicating nith said powerpneumatic and comnumicating on one side with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamber within which the structure is mounted, a main-valve mounted within said main valve chamber and adapted to automatically control said COHllllllIllCfliiOIlS,"EL

primarv-pneumatic for operating said mamvalve, a tracker board, a communication between said tracker board and said primarypneumatic, and means independent of the tracker board for controlling admission to the aitmospherio side of the main valve chamber.

4. solo device for automatic players comprising a pair of main chambers with a passage forming a direct communication between said chambers, a valve adapted to close said passage, a pressure regulator also forming a communication between the two chambers, and a valve-operating pneumatic train mounted in one of said chambers to op erate said valve, said valve-operating pneumatic train comprising a power-pneumatic engaging the valve, a main valve chamber communicating with said power-pneumatic and communicating on one side with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamber within which the structure is mounted, a main-valve mounted within said main valve chamber and adapted to automatically control said communications, a primary-pneumatio for operating said. main-valve, a tracker board, and a communication between said tracker board and said primary-pneumatic.

5. A solo device for automatic players comprising a pair of main chambers with a passage forming a direct communication be-, tween said chambers, close said passage, a pressure regulator also forming a communication between the two chambers, and a valve-operating neumatic'v train mounted in one of said chambers to operate said. valve, said valve-operating pneumatic train comprising a power-pneumatic engaging the valve, a main valve chamber communicating with said power-pneumatic and communicating on one side with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamberv within which the structure is mounted, a

' main-valve mounted within said main valve chamber and adapted to' automatically con trol said communications, a primary-numb matio for operating said -mainvalve, a tracker board, a communication between said tracker board and said primarv-pnetb matic, and means for controlling admission to the atmospheric side of the main valve chamber.

6. A solo device for automatic players comprising a pair oi main chambers with a passage forming a direct communication between said chambers, a valve adapted to close said passage, a pressure regulator also I forming a communication betweenthe two chambers, and a valve-operating pneumatic train mounted in one of said chambers to operate said valve, said valve-operating pneu matic train comprising a power-pneumaticengaging the valve, a main valve-chamber communicating with said power-pneumatic and conununicating on one side with atmosphere and on the other side with the chamber within which the structure is mounted, a main-valve mounted within said main valve chamber and adapted to automatically control said communications, a primary-pneumatic for operating said main-valve, a

a valve adapted to this tenth day of July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and seven.

tracker board, a communication between said traeker board and said primary-pneumatio, and means mdependent of the tracker board for cont-roiling admission to the atmos- FRANCIS DRAPER' L: pherio side of the main valve chamber. Witnesses:

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set W. A. KLEIN,

my hand and seal at Richmond, Indiana, ARNOLD E.PFE1TFER 

